


Paper Flowers

by BarPurple



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, F/M, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-09-13 10:00:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9118732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: Belle has a secret admirer, could it be the one person in town that she hopes it is?





	1. Chapter 1

Belle smiled at this week’s rose from her secret admirer. She had a small bouquet now, each carefully folded from beautifully deep red paper. They’d been arriving once a week for the past month, always at different times of the day so she’d never been able to catch who was leaving them for her. She smiled happily at it and tucked it into the vase with the others, wondering once again about the identity of the rose giver. Oh she had a secret hope that it was one particular man, but she couldn’t be sure and didn’t want to risk their friendship by asking him outright if he was behind the thoughtful gifts. She chided herself for her silly day-dreams and gathered up the books she need to re-shelve before the after school crowd arrived.

Friday afternoons were busy for the library, there was always a crowd of kids, some determined to get their homework out of the way before the weekend started, some hanging around until their parents finished work. Belle had tried to set up the limited space so those that wanted to study had a quiet area away from those that were chatting and reading the latest comic books. She was a little surprised to see Henry Mills and his friend, Grace Hatter were in the noisy area today, it was nice to see the normally quiet kids relaxing and having fun. She ambled over to see what they were playing.

It was a sort of odd version of tiddly winks played with paper frogs rather than plastic counters. Henry threw his arms up in victory as his frog landed in the ‘pond’, and smiled shyly at Belle.

“Are we making too much noise, Miss French?”

“Not at all Henry. Where did you get those frogs?”

“They’re not real.”

Henry rolled his eyes at Grace, “She can see that Grace.”

Belle smiled at the girl, Grace Hatter shared some of her father’s eccentric qualities, which made for some rather interesting conversations sometimes. Grace just gave a little shrug, so Henry explained; “Mister Gold taught us how to make them last Saturday. He was folding them in the diner, but Granny told him off for using her specials flyers, so I made a deal with him.”

Henry sounded rather proud of that fact and Belle knew why, most of the adults in town would be terrified at the prospect of a deal with the feared Mister Gold. Belle could see the lad was desperate to tell her all about it so she asked; “What deal?”

“I said I’d give him some pages from my notebook if he taught me and Grace how to make the frogs.”

“A very good deal, well done Henry.”

He beamed at her praise and went back to their game as Belle hurried away to help a student who was panicking about finding books about the American Civil War.   
At the end of the afternoon Henry and Grace were the last patrons to be checking out books. Grace pointed at the little vase on the counter and said in her dreamy way; “Origami. Like our frogs.”

Belle looked at her newest rose and gasped. Mister Gold had taught the kids how to fold the frogs, was it possible that he’d folded the rose too? She was in the process of mentally telling herself off when Grace said; “Do the brave thing and bravery will follow.”

She’d opened one of the books she’d checked out and for all the world looked as if she’d just read the words from the pages completely unaware of the turmoil within the adult opposite her. Henry nudged his friend toward the door and waved goodbye for both of them. Belle stood for a long moment and then grabbed the little vase of roses and her keys. She didn’t let herself think as she looked up the library, nor as she strolled purposely down the street, nor when she pushed open the door of the pawnshop. When the whiskey brown eyes of her friend Rabbie Gold lit up at her arrival she wished she’d spared a moment to think of what she was going to say.

“Belle? What can…”

His face dropped as he caught sight of the vase of paper roses clutched in her hand. 

“Belle, I can explain.”

He limped around the counter, his fingers twisting nervously together wincing slightly at the startled laugh that escaped Belle’s throat.

“Roses from a secret admirer usually come with the intention of romance.”

He looked crestfallen at her words, which isn’t what she intended at all.

“I’m sorry Belle. It was foolish to hope that you’d want anything more than the friendship we have. I hope this isn’t to upsetting for you.”

He thought she’d be upset? This was not going right at all. She dropped the vase on to one of the glass display cases and cringed at the sad sigh from the man she’d desperately hoped was her admirer. In two quick steps she was in front of him. He gulped as he met her eyes.

“Belle?”

Words wouldn’t come for her, so she reached up and touched his face with a soft smile. He looked stunned and then tentatively mirrored her gesture. She nuzzled into his touch and suddenly he darted forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips. It was brief and gentle and perfect. They were both blushing as they looked at each other, neither quite sure what to say, but Belle did have one question.

“Why origami roses?”

Rabbie chuckled; “Your father owns the only flower shop in town and I was too shy to buy them from him.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bookwormchocaholic said:  
> Paper Flowers Gold: Have you tried teaching Belle how to make the flowers?

“I don’t think I’m very good at this.”

Belle held up the lopsided paper flower, it did vaguely look like the one Gold had been showing her how to make, but it was far from the perfect rose he’d produced. He tilted his head from side to side as he looked at her creased mess. 

“I think I see which step you missed.”

He moved his chair closer to hers and leaned into her as her unfolded her attempt a little.

“Here see? There needs to be a mountain fold here. And then…”

Belle wasn’t paying attention to the folds he made; she was entranced by his nimble fingers.

“Ta-dah!”

He offered her the rose, still a little lopsided, but more flower like than her first attempt. 

“Beautiful.”

Belle looked up and blushed when she found him looking at her not the rose. She closed the gap between them and kissed his cheek. 

“Thank you.”

Now he was the flustered one. He reached for another square of paper with a shy smile.

“Do you want to try again?”

The table was littered with a garden of roses.

“I think we need some frogs now.”

Gold laughed and choose two squares of green.

“Okay, you ready?”


End file.
